The cocoa and chocolate making industry has been warned that cocoa stocks languishing in EU warehouses during the 18-month transition period leading up to the European Union’s Deforestation law that kicks in at the end of December 2024 may have to be...
With enforcement of a new deforestation law on the horizon, stakeholders along the food supply chain and working to ensure compliance. We look at the new tools and services being developed that promise enhanced traceability and due diligence.
Fairtrade International has announced a new partnership with Satelligence to scale up satellite monitoring of forested areas and farms to its globally certified cocoa and coffee producer organisations to meet new EU regulations.
Indigenous rights must be ‘at the centre’ of new EU policies looking to stamp out environmental and human rights violations from food supply chains, argues indigenous advocate Edson Krenak from NGO Cultural Survival.
The European Union has urged Cote d’Ivoire to ramp up its efforts regarding the traceability of its cocoa if the country is going to meet the criteria of the EU deforestation law that comes into effect in January 2025.
International soft commodities exchange has announced it has launched a new Traceability Service to support cocoa suppliers and other commodities, such as coffee and sugar, affected by the EU Deforestation Regulation.
Tradin Organic, a Netherlands-based certified organic food ingredients supplier for the food sector, claims it can help chocolate manufacturers, brands and retailers navigate the new EU laws on deforestation by sharing access with its clients to all data...
As new research reveals that deforestation in the world’s largest cocoa-growing country could be far more worse than originally predicted, a White Paper published by Barry Callebaut looks how to tackle productivity on cocoa farms to end the cycle of unsustainable...
A conference involving The Platform for Sustainable Cocoa, the Soy and Palm Oil Network and the Coffee Interest Group was recently held in Bern Switzerland to develop new tougher measures for the conservation of tropical forests.
Food and beverage firms are struggling to meet deforestation related key performance indicators (KPIs) set by environmental disclosure not-for-profit CDP, new data has shown.
The European Parliament has formally adopted a new law to fight global deforestation with cocoa, coffee, palm-oil, soya, wood, rubber, charcoal printed paper products and cattle covered by the new rules, which obliges companies to ensure products sold...
Fresh data released by transparency initiative Trase reveals that cocoa farming swallowed 2.4 million ha of forest in Côte d’Ivoire between 2000 and 2019, an area almost the size of Rwanda. This represents 45% of the total deforestation and forest degradation...
Ahead of this week’s trilogue negotiations on the EU’s Deforestation Regulation, the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (IPOA/GAPKI) has complained the legislation “will increase poverty, decrease sustainable development, and undermine decades of progress...
The EU’s recent approval of its controversial deforestation regulation is expected to drive up the cost of palm oil and other affected commodities, and thus food and beverage prices, amid ongoing inflationary pressures that have already affected a majority...
A new partnership has been launched by Fairtrade International, Fairtrade Africa, and non-profit organization Earthworm Foundation, pledging to work together to monitor deforestation and assess environmental vulnerability.
The European Council has backed Commission proposals designed to combat deforestation linked to consumer goods sold in the region – but with some important carve-outs. As environmentalists accuse EU Environment Ministers of ‘significantly watering down’...
Nestlé said it will continue to work with all stakeholders to ‘help protect and restore forests, promote sustainable cocoa production and thriving communities, and create a forest positive future for all’.
Dialogue between The Cocoa Coalition (CC) and the European Commission and EU member states is continuing with news that the CC welcomes latest proposals by the governments of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana for an Economic Pact for Sustainable Cocoa.
The Rainforest Alliance, CDP, Clarmondial, Conservation International, and USAID announce a transformational public-private ‘Business Case’ partnership to reduce cocoa and other commodity-driven deforestation, and contribute to global climate and biodiversity...
The Cocoa Coalition of chocolate companies - Ferrero, Hershey, Mars Wrigley, Mondelēz International, Nestle, and Tony's Chocolonely - alongside Fairtrade International and Rainforest Alliance, broadly welcomes any new EU legislation regarding the...
The ‘Cocoa Coalition' of companies, NGOs, certification organisations and multistakeholder organisations has welcomed the European Commission’s (EC) publication of its proposed regulation on deforestation.
The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) examined the science behind the cancer study that has caused an uproar in the media recently and has cautioned not to read the headlines out of context.
The European Cocoa Association (ECA) has issued a statement on new EU regulation proposals to tackle the issues of deforestation, but calls for an 'adequate transition period'.
The European Parliament has said companies supplying products that risk contributing to deforestation will be ‘monitored and held accountable’ through new due diligence regulations. But farming groups have raised concerns that the new regulation might...
‘This COP’s outcome is in many ways a cop out, a frustrating conclusion to this summit filled with hope that we would see a start to the healing of our world… said Mary Kinyua, responding to the outcome of the Glasgow summit.
Palm oil producer Musim Mas, oil supplier AAK and branded manufacturer Nestlé are collaborating to tackle deforestation outside concession areas in Aceh, Indonesia.
Increased understanding of cocoa farmers is required if the chocolate industry is to meet its forest restoration and net carbon zero targets, says Earthworm Foundation’s Gerome Tokpa
Biochar, known as ‘agriculture's black gold’ is made from agricultural waste, such as weeds, leaves and cocoa pods, and can be used as a natural fertilizer to improve soil quality.
Ethan Budiansky, the World Cocoa Foundation’s Director of Environment, shares some of the findings from the CFI’s latest reports and explains why ‘getting more trees in the ground’ is important.
Nestlé has said it has made ‘good progress’ over the past 12 months in advancing its forest positive agenda on its cocoa farms in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.
Barry Callebaut says it is committed to ending deforestation in the cocoa and chocolate industry as part of its actions in the months and years ahead, which are highlighted in its the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) Progress Report 2020.
Over the past three decades, the rate of deforestation around the world has noticeably declined. This comes against an ever-increasing societal pressure from consumers and governments for more sustainable food products, which applies to everything from...
The Fairtrade Foundation has cautiously welcomed the UK government’s new Environment Bill, which includes measures prohibiting UK firms from selling products linked to illegal deforestation overseas.
Interview with Satelligence founder and CEO, Niels Wielaard
Satelligence is a new company that specializes in assessing patterns and trends in forests, agriculture and water, providing highly detailed satellite images for mapping purposes to help combat deforestation.
Nestlé has partnered with NGO Earthworm and government agencies on the ground to preserve what is left of the Cavally forest reserve in Côte d’Ivoire. FoodNavigator speaks to Earthworm’s country head Gerome Tokpa to learn more illegal cocoa plantations...
The Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) is a commitment made by the world’s largest cocoa producing countries - Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana - civil society and leading chocolate companies to end deforestation and restore forests. Like many other big cocoa...
Addressing deforestation linked to cocoa is part of Nestlé's ambition to transform its agricultural supply chain, making it more climate-friendly and resilient, the company said in its new Cocoa & Forests Initiative report that highlights key...
Cocoa production continues to drive deforestation. While the chocolate industry has largely lined up behind zero deforestation commitments, the complexities of indirect supply chains remain a significant challenge.
As part of the UN’s International Day of Education, Olam Cocoa and Rainforest Alliance help school children in Côte d'Ivoire learn about the dangers of deforestation.
Retailers are pushing suppliers to adopt more sustainable practices in Latin America, says Chain Reaction Research, as it reveals Carrefour Brazil's CEO asked suppliers to map out their deforestation action plans.
The likes of Mondelēz, Nestlé and Unilever have joined a new scheme aiming to improve deforestation transparency. Just as well, as palm oil may be next to witness ‘the Attenborough effect’.
